A Turning in the Path
by Ou-Rex
Summary: Spoiler Warning It takes but one step to change destiny, and two to make a journey. No matter our errors in life, or endeavors, you can always depend on the fact that, in the end, you would have never expected the turn about.


**Disclaimer: I own nothing, my plot gerbils forced me to do this, I apologize.**

**Heroes Aren't Meant to Die.**

The two moons hung silently in the night sky. The clouds were still and the oceans calm. Zidane's tail shivered as the chilly breeze of the night ran across his face. On his shoulder he carried the weight of the battered Kuja.

"Hang in there Kuja." Zidane whispered as he slowly walked across the Lucid Plains.

"W-why?" Kuja asked managing to lift his head.

"Relax, we're almost there…bro." Zidane smiled as he adjusted Kuja on his back. Kuja looked into Zidane's determined face.

Realizing Zidane wasn't going tell him again he gave in to his exhaustion and closed his eyes. As Zidane slowly walked he sang a song to himself:

_**Ate mo naku samayotte ita **_

_**Tegakari mo naku sagashitsuzuketa **_

_**Anata ga kureta omoide o **_

_**Kokoro o iyasu uta ni shite **_

_**Yakusoku mo suru koto mo naku **_

_**Kawasu kotoba mo kimetari mo sezu **_

_**Dakishime--soshite tashikameta **_

_**Hibi wa nido to kaeranu **_

_**Kioku no naka no te o furu anata wa **_

_**Watashi no na o yobu koto ga dekiru no? **_

_**Afureru sono namida o **_

_**Kagayaku yuuki ni kaete **_

_**Inochi wa tsuzuku **_

_**Yoru o koe **_

_**Utagau koto no nai ashita e to tsuzuku **_

_**Tobu tori no mukou no sora e **_

_**Ikutsu no kioku azuketa darou **_

_**Hakanai kibou mo yume mo **_

_**Todokanu basho ni wasurete **_

_**Meguriau no wa guuzen to ieru no? **_

_**Wakareru toki ga kanarazu kuru no ni **_

_**Kieyuku unmei de mo **_

_**Kimi ga ikite iru kagiri **_

_**Inochi wa tsuzuku **_

_**Eien ni **_

_**Sono chikara no kagiri ni doko made mo **_

_**Watashi ga shinou to mo **_

_**Kimi ga ikite iru kagiri **_

_**Inochi wa tsuzuku **_

_**Eien ni **_

_**Sono chikara no kagiri ni doko made mo tsuzuku **_

"What a beautiful song." Kuja whispered in Zidane's ear.

"Where is that from?" He asked taking a deep breath.

Zidane frowned.

"Someone I knew sang that song…" Zidane answered as Kuja faded into sleep.

"_Come on where are you?_" Zidane thought looking around.

He stopped in front of some Chocobo tracks, and gently set Kuja down. From his satchel he pulled out some fresh Gashyl greens. He carefully looked around. Out reaching his arm in the air he waved the greens, and started to 'kweh', mimicking the sound of a Chocobo. As soon as he did so he could see Choco running toward him. Choco ran up to him, and after munching down the greens he greeted Zidane by rubbing his beak in his face.

"Alright, alright." He said with a laugh pushing at Choco's beak. "Can I get a ride?"

Choco showed his agreement by readying to be mounted. Zidane carefully lifted Kuja onto Choco. Zidane looked Choco in the eye.

"Careful now, he's injured." Zidane mounted the Chocobo and tightly held on to Kuja to make sure he wouldn't fall.

"Okay, come on! We're taking him to the Black Mage Village." Zidane pulled tightly on the reigns of his wild friend.

"Wait!" A soft voice called out to Zidane from the horizon.

"Mikoto..." He whispered turning Choco around and trotting toward her. "How did you get here?" He asked helping her onto Choco.

"I was on the Red Rose. I went to the Iifa Tree." The young genome admitted.

"Are you okay?! You weren't supposed to go near that place. What if you've gotten hurt?" Zidane scolded as Choco set of.

"I am fine." She looked at Kuja and noticed his injuries. "Is he...."

"Naw, he's fine. Just a little banged up though. Wait, how did you get all this way by yourself? Monsters are everywhere! " He questioned like the worried big brother he was.

"Actually, I was hardly ever caught. If I was I just ran." Mikoto assured.

"Well, you should have stayed with Beatrix, where it was safe." Zidane scolded as Choco turned a corner.

"I couldn't I...I was worried." She said wrapping her arms around her brother's torso.

Zidane fall silent and a look of guilt ran across his face. He looked ahead at his path.

"I' m sorry I made you worry." He said tightening his grip on the reigns.

From then on the group silently rode through the Forgotten Continent.

"Why couldn't we take the Invisible?" Mikoto finally asked after a long time.

"When I went back to get it, the Iifa Tree roots had swallowed up the ship. There was no way to get in or get it out. And with Kuja injured like this I couldn't just stop and look for a way to get it out." Zidane explained with a deep sigh.

Choco ran across the rough terrain of the Forgotten continent with great ease. From high mountains to deep vales, Choco managed to keep a steady speed. With the sun rising in the horizon the Dark

Continent grew with light. Streams of red, orange, and yellow ran across the sky. A Zuu flew above head. The early lights of dawn made Zuu's wings glisten. The beauties of the desert plateau made Zidane think of Dagger. It reminded him how her face would light up when they would fly over the continents. Her smile would spread across her face. Relief could be seen in her cheeks, and happiness could be seen in her eyes.

"I'll come home to you Dagger...I promise." He sighed as he thought to himself.

"Come on!" Baku yells from the Prima Vista's cockpit. "We gotta find Zidane."

Marcus walks up to the cockpit carrying tools.

"You think Zidane's still alive?" The sharp-toothed bandit lazily wondered.

"Brwhahaha! What kind of dumb question is that? Brwhaha! We'll find him." The Tantalus leader laughed heartily.

With that the Prima Vista sped off. Blank enters the storage room, where Ruby, Marcus, Cinna, Zenero, and Benero wait.

"What are we gonna do ya'll?" Ruby asked with her thick cowboy accent.

"Baku really thinks Zidane's still alive." Marcus remarked, scratching his chin.

"He's still alive." Blank scoffed leaning on a wall.

"How do you know?" Cinna protested waving his fist.

Realizing his Hammer was still missing he put his hand down.

"Zidane made a promise to Dagger." Black said with a knowing smirk.

"How do you know?" Marcus asked with a curious look.

"Baku overheard Steiner talking to Beatrix about it." Blank replied.

"Well dust my saddles, that don't mean who-haw!" Ruby stamped her foot.

"Please..." Blank said waving his hand. "Zidane never breaks a promise, especially to a girl." Blank turns and leaves the room.

"I hope yer right."Ruby said following him out.

"Yeah, it's no fun around here without him." Cinna added following Ruby.

Marcus sat there scratching his head.

"Well I say he's doing a good job of not being found, if he is alive. I mean it's not this hard to find a dead guy." He walks out with a smile.

"That was strange." Zenero said tilting his head.

"Yes indeed." Benero agreed.

"I think he is fine." Zenero said leaving the room.

"Of course he is, he is Zidane." Benero giggled on his way out.

In the castle Steiner and Beatrix have no idea what to do with Queen Garnet.

"She's been in a slump all day."Steiner a said to Beatrix.

"Yes I know, and it is very upsetting to see her like that." The female knight responded.

They watched her walk by. Garnet wore her flowing gown, and walked with her hands clasped in front of her. Her head bowed down; she no longer had the glow of happiness in her eyes.

"She misses him terribly." Steiner said watching her go by.

"It's not your fault Steiner." Beatrix said in comfort.

"Sometimes...I think it is." He pitied.

As Garnet made her way past Steiner and Beatrix they respectfully bowed their heads.

"Good morning your Highness." Beatrix greeted.

"Good Morning." She softly replied.

"Did you sleep well?" Steiner asked with a smile.

"Yes." The lonely princess, now queen smiled. "I'm going to head to the kitchen to see what's for breakfast." She walked away.

"Her highness has been having nightmares." Beatrix whispered. Steiner turns to her with interest. "At night I scout the hallways and corridors. I walk pass her room to check on her, and she is tossing and turning, crying for him."

"Oh dear." The Pluto knight bit out worriedly.

"Yes, it is very distressing to see her like this...I doubt he is even alive." Beatrix sought to look toward reality.

"Beatrix!" Steiner turns to her. "We mustn't say such things. I am sure he is alive." He upheld his belief that that boy would never make her cry.

"How?" The sullen Alexandrian knight was hard-pressed to believe at this point.

".... He promised he shall return to her. And for the first time in our travels together; I believed him." Steiner stands at attention and continues his watch.

"I pray that you are correct. She loves him so..." Beatrix prayed for the sake of her Queen.

"Are we almost there Zidane?" Mikoto asked peeking over his shoulder.

"Yeah, the Black Mage Village is just across the forest." Zidane looked at Kuja's face. He reached his hand to his cheek. "_He's so cold_." He thought to himself.

Zidane dismounted Choco in front of the Village.

"Wait for us here 'kay." He told the patient bird as he lifted Kuja onto his back, Zidane could her Kuja slightly moan from the excruciating pain. "Come on Mikoto."

Mikoto jumped off of Choco and followed Zidane into he Village.

"We don't know anything about medicine." Black Mage no. 200 said.

"Maybe you can get some herbs for him." Vivi said looking over Kuja in the bed.

"Herbs? Where am I gonna find some herbs around here?" Zidane said as he frantically looked through his satchel for something useful.

"I saw some h-herbs outside the Village. The same ones I saw in the medicine book." Mikoto said pointing outside the hut window.

"Good job." He said with a smile. "I'll go and get some. You guys watch Kuja for me. I'll be right back."

Zidane throws his satchel around his waist and runs off. Kuja began to stir in the bed. He slowly opened his eyes. As his eyes focused he scanned the room.

"Where am I?" The disoriented wizard asked in a low, hoarse voice.

"Among friends." No. 200 replied.

"Where is Zidane?" Kuja asked trying to sit up.

"No don't."Vivi warned gently laying him back down. "Zidane went to get some herbs for your wounds. He'll be right back."Vivi smiled as he pulled the covers onto Kuja.

Kuja sighed and laid on his side. He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep. Two hours had gone by and Zidane finally returned.

"Geez, sorry guys," He said entering the hut. "It took longer to find the herbs I needed. How is he?"

"He woke up a while ago, but fell back to sleep." Vivi answered moving over as Zidane moved closer.

Zidane knelt down over Kuja. He opened Kuja's shirt and began rubbing some ointment on his chest. Kuja immediately woke up and began gasping for air.

"Relax." Zidane said holding him gently.

Kuja frantically looked around, he than relaxed seeing Zidane there.

"What was that?" Kuja asked with a drowsy look.

"Something to help with your breathing. Stared you up quick eh?" Zidane replied with a laugh.

Kuja looked out the hut's window, as Zidane sat on the floor by his side grinding up herbs.

"Thank you." Kuja sighed.

"No problem. That's what family's for!" Zidane grinned.

"But even after what I did?" Kuja bit out remorsefully.

"Kuja, are you on that again?" Zidane interrupted, "If I told you once, I've told you countless times…it doesn't matter. I want you to forget about it." He scratched his chin bemusedly."Start over."

"Start over?" Kuja repeated.

"Yeah. Let's start from the beginning. Hi, I'm Zidane Tribal." Zidane held out his hand.

Kuja turned his head toward Zidane. He chuckled,

"Greetings, I am Kuja." Kuja reached his hand over, and the two shook.

"There!" Zidane said as he darted to his feet.

"What?" Vivi looked up to Zidane.

"Well one: I finished the medicine, and two: Me and my dear bro her just made up." Zidane laughed worry-free.

"Well both are good," Vivi smiled, "But…"

"But what?" Zidane looked at his miniature companion.

"Maybe you should give him the medicine." Vivi suggested with a smile.

"Oh, yeah. Hehe. Fine." Zidane laughed.

Kuja forces the herbal drink down.

"That was disgusting." The elder wizard cringed.

"That means it worked." Zidane laughed and tucked Kuja underneath his covers.

Zidane, Vivi, and the rest of them left the hut so Kuja may rest.

"We'll let him rest up and see how he's doing in the morning." Zidane whispered closing the door behind him.

A few weeks pass. Kuja's recovery was going along nicely. He was up and about exercising his body. Zidane sat on the bridge; tail in the flowing water. A sad and depressed look was upon his face as his tail wagged back and forth in harmony with the wind. Kuja notices his brother's sorrowful look and walks over to him.

"What is wrong Zidane?" He asked placing his hand on Zidane's shoulder.

Zidane sighs and looks up to Kuja.

"I miss her." He remorse painfully.

"Than go." Kuja urged his younger brother.

"But what about you guys?" Zidane was not one to worry about himself, others always seemed to come first.

"We can take care of ourselves." Kuja assured with a commanding stare, but a smile of reassurance on his lips. "Go on. I am assured in the fact that she too misses you."

"Yo Zidane!" A familiar voice called.

Zidane looks around.

"Brwhaha! Where are you boy?"

"Baku!" Zidane jumps up; hitting his head on the railing he staggers a bit, than runs toward the sound of Baku's voice. Zidane quickly dashes around huts, and hops over rocks, stones and other obstacles.

He turns the corner and finds Baku laughing and Blank calmly leaning against a wall.

"Sup?" Blank smiled.

"We've been looking for you everywhere." Baku said with a grin.

"Guys!"Zidane runs to his companions. "Oh, man. How'd you find me?"

"We looked." Blank replied.

"Took you long enough. There are only so many places Choco can't go." Zidane laughed.

"That's no excuse." Baku said lifting him up by the collar.

"There's another reason." Zidane hung his head in shame.

"Well?" Baku demanded.

"I was taking care of Kuja…after he recovered it had already been three weeks. I was afraid Dagger might of…" Zidane wanted to admit defeat at this point.

"You stop right there. What did I tell you if you wanted to be in Tantalus?" Baku demanded of his adoptive son.

Zidane sighs and looks Baku in the eye.

"We always get our treasure…" He wearily sighed at the old man.

"That's right! And the poor girl's been waiting a long time for you." Baku asserted.

"But how am I gonna go back to her now?" Zidane moaned out knowing he would so get scolded by _everyone _had he not some awesome plan of return.

Just than Blank has a thought.

"I got an idea." The sly thief chuckled.

They looked to their patch-work companion.

"I want to be your Canary." Blank said.

"The play?" Zidane said, finally releasing himself from Baku's grip.

"Yeah. We're doing the play in Alexandria for her." Blank said with a devious grin.

"I see what you're saying. Brilliant Bro. Well what are we waiting for?" Zidane was about to charge of, but than Mikoto and Kuja walk up from behind him.

"Bye Zidane." Mikoto said in a gentle voice. Zidane stopped in his tracks. He turns around and smiles.

He wrapped his arms around her.

"See ya sis. Ya take care of yourself." The older sibling dotted over the youngest, and possibly last…

"Don't worry Zidane, we'll take care of each other." Kuja said with a smile.

"Yeah." Zidane smiled warmly and hugged Kuja. "See ya soon." Zidane said as Blank and Baku accompanied him out of the village.

Vivi walks up to Kuja and Mikoto.

"I want to be your Canary?" He said with a happy tone.

"Yes," Mikoto replied.

"That's what Zidane said. Kuja affirmed."Do you know of it?"Kuja asked standing in a rather curious posture.

"I saw that play. It was the day I met Puck and Zidane. Maybe the kids will like to see it?" Vivi walked off with much delight.

Another day has gone by. Tantalus announced the coming of their play to Queen Garnet, and she was very much delighted to hear that they would be coming, but also very upset. Zidane was gone…and it wouldn't be the same without him. Tantalus readied for the play. They practiced and rehearsed until every thing was perfect…

That day all of Alexandria came to see Tantalus perform at the Castle. Freya, Quina, Amarant and Lani, Ekio and her newfound family: Regent Cid and Lady Hilda, and Puck and all eight of Vivi's sons had come to see the play. Dagger was glad everyone had come to see the play, but she was heartbroken that one member of their group would never come back. The play went on without a hitch. Zidane played the hero, 'Marcus'. He wore a hooded robe to conceal his identity till just the right time. As one of the scenes began Zidane, playing Marcus, turned to the twin moons that hung in the stage's background.

'I pray to thee twin moons. Send to me my beloved Dagger…'

As he uttered these last few words has threw off the cloak and revealed himself to Dagger as she watched the play from the highest balcony.

Dagger stood from her seat and ran toward the door, but Beatrix and Steiner stood guard. For that second her spirit was crushed, but than the two knights opened the door and respectively bowed their heads. Dagger was so happy, and couldn't contain herself. She ran down the spiraling stairs to the doors, which led to the auditorium. She charged through the door nearly knocking down the two Alexandrian soldiers guarding the entranceway. Dagger pushed her way through the crowded auditorium. As she ran her crystal necklace was torn form her neck. It was the Falcon's Claw a family heirloom, it meant everything thing to her, but she wouldn't even stop for that. The Jewel she risked her life for…left there: on the floor.

She pulled the tiara from her long black hair and tossed it aside. She jumped, crying, into the arms of the waiting Zidane. He gently stroked her hair as she cried in his arms. She looks up to him and he shrugged and gave a nervous smirk. She pounded on his chest in anger for leaving her alone so long, but she stopped and cried on top of his shoulder. The entire audience cheered with joy, for the couple had been reunited.

"How did you come back?" Dagger whispered. As he gently stroked her hair he searched in his heart for the answer.

"I sang your song…'Our Song'."

Zidane and Dagger stood there on stage and shared a passionate kiss.

~Fin


End file.
